about a quarter of an hour after the departure of captain burns, frank emerged from the boys’ house, looking and feeling desperately uncomfortable in his brand-new suit of dungaree. it was stiff and smelly and exceedingly unbecoming, and besides he had been chaffed unmercifully by the two bigger boys, who left him hardly room in the house to change, and while they smoked short pipes with all the air of veteran seamen, showed no inclination to hurry on deck as he was trying to do. they were second-voyage apprentices, and accordingly looked down upon him from a supreme height as a greenhorn, and one whom it would be at once their duty and pleasure to put through his facings, as they termed it. so he was glad to escape from them, being hot and indignant at the sudden change from quite an important member of society to one of no consequence whatever.
he stood for a moment irresolute, feeling strangely lonely, but was suddenly startled by the mate’s hoarse voice in his ear, saying, “now then, admiral, don’t stand there like a calcutta pilot, but get along and make yourself generally useless. coil them ropes up there first thing.”
[17]poor frank, he could only stammer out, “i—i don’t know what you mean, sir.”
the mate stood for a moment as if trying to realise again how helpless a home-bred boy is on board ship for the first time, then he roared, “williams! johnson! where are ye? come along and show this fellow how to coil up the running gear.”
his cry brought the two youths out of the house, muttering as they came, but the joy of having some one to bully soon made them forget the annoyance they felt at having their skulk disturbed, and between them they made frank feel that instead of being a rather smart fellow, he was just a poor imbecile who didn’t know anything at all that was really worth knowing. but we must set it down to his credit that he never once wished himself back home again, in spite of his grievous disappointment.
those two bright boys led our hero a fine dance for about an hour, until there was a sudden diversion created by the arrival of the crew, every one of whom was more or less drunk and quarrelsome. yet none of them were so far gone as to be useless, and so amidst a series of evolutions, which to frank were simply maddening in their complications, and in which he felt always in somebody’s way, the vessel was gradually moved away from her berth and dragged by the little dock-tug out into the river, where a larger tug was in waiting to seize her and tow her out to sea.
while passing out between the pierheads, frank[18] could not help feeling a pang of disappointment that no one whom he knew was there to bid him farewell, for he saw quite a little body of people, mostly of a very low class he thought, shabby men, and gaudily clothed, draggled-looking women, between whom and the sailors many “so-longs” and “pleasant passages” were exchanged; but the wonder and the novelty of the whole scene was such that he had little time to feel despondent, and indeed there was no delay, the vessel gliding through without a pause on the broad bosom of the muddy mersey.
the keen wind made him shiver, but so great was his wonder at the scene around, the numbers of vessels, from the mighty ocean steamships to the swift ferry-boats and thronging small craft of varying rigs, and the manner in which the sealark threaded her way among them, that all made up a panorama which kept him almost stupid with surprise.
but he was not allowed to stand staring about him; the harsh voice of the mate shouting, “get along there forrard, boy, and lend a hand,” started him off in the direction indicated by the mate’s finger, where he found everybody busy at a task which seemed to him one of most bewildering complication. not a word that passed did he understand any more than he knew what was being done or why, and if ever anybody felt a useless fool he did.
all hands were engaged in rigging out the jibboom, a great spar that protrudes over the bowsprit from the forepart of the ship, and is secured[19] by a number of stays, guys, and chains, which, hanging loosely about it as it was gradually hove out into its permanent place, looked to him as if the tangle could never be cleared. everything that was said or shouted was unintelligible—for all he knew they might as well have been talking in another language, and he began to feel quite dazed as well as foolish. and everybody seemed offended with him because he did not understand, bad words were freely flung at him, for whatever he did seemed to be wrong, and altogether he became pretty miserable. for, as i have said, he was naturally a bright, smart boy, and he felt angry and hurt at his inability to understand what was said to him or to do anything that he was ordered.
at last, to his great relief, the mate said, “here, get away aft out of this, you’re only in everybody’s way; go and help clear up the decks. mr. cope” (shouting), “set them boys clearing up decks.”
this order was to the second mate, who was aft, and whose acquaintance frank now made for the first time. this officer was young and gentlemanly, with a pleasant manner, and frank felt a great liking for him, which quite cheered the boy up. his awkward attempts to handle a broom, and his ignorance of where to put things that had to be cleared away were looked upon leniently, and, to help matters, he found himself in company with another lad of about his own age, but more delicate-looking, who found time to exchange confidences with him, to the effect that he was also on his first voyage, felt just as stupid and helpless, and that his name was harry carter. this[20] was still more cheering to frank, and he began to move about a little more briskly until going up on the poop he was suddenly confronted by a man with a red face, a bulbous nose, and little cunning eyes, who said, “hallo, boy, what’s your name?”
now frank, being a boy of keen observation, felt a great dislike to this man at once, but something told him to be careful, and so he answered politely, “frank brown, sir. i’m an apprentice.”
“oh, you are, are you?” sneered the man. “well, i’m your captain, i’ll make a sailor of you, but if i catch you skulking or coming any of your school games here i’ll make you wish you’d never been born. now get on with your work.”
and turning to the pilot, who stood looking gravely on, the captain said, “nothin’ like puttin’ these youngsters in their place at the first go off, is there, pilot?”
“no, i suppose there isn’t, captain swainson,” replied the pilot, and then checked himself suddenly as if he intended to say more, but felt it best not to do so.
undoubtedly frank began to feel that things were not at all up to his expectations. he did not realise how vague those expectations were, but they had all been of a high order, and didn’t embrace a coarse bully of a mate and a red-nosed skipper who smelt very strongly of stale drink, and who began to threaten at the first interview. however, he did the best thing he could, went on with his coiling up of ropes, and descended from the poop as quickly as possible.
just as he was wondering what the next thing[21] would be, he heard the mate roar, “supper.” more wonder, it was not yet dark, and could it be possible that at sea they had supper in the daytime? none of his books of adventure had told him that there are only three meals a day in the mercantile marine, breakfast, dinner, and supper, the latter answering to our tea at home as far as the hour is concerned.
he stood wondering, until the second mate, passing, said kindly, “now, my lad, go and get your supper, you’ll want it before to-morrow morning.”
frank murmured, “thank you, sir,” and almost mechanically went towards the house he had put his traps in, being met at the door by one of the last year’s apprentices, who said, “now then, none o’ yer skulking; go to the galley and get the supper, and be quick about it.” at the same time thrusting two tin quart-pots into his hands.
frank obeyed, for fortunately he knew where the galley was, and presenting himself at its door, said to a very hideous negro he saw there, “please, i’ve come for the supper for the apprentices.”
“oh ho, ha ha, he he!” gasped the nigger, “geess you’re a new chum, berry green ain’t it. neb’ mine, hold out yer pots,” and frank, doing so, saw to his amazement a modicum of tea ladled out into them like soup, from a big saucepan.
“now take dat away,” said the cook, “an’ come back ’gen, i’ve got some scouse for ye; feed yer well fus start off; letcher down easy like, he he!”
frank’s disgust and chagrin were too great for words, but he had already learned one lesson, not[22] to talk back, even to a loathsome negro cook who looked as if made of dirt, so he hurried off to his new home, and putting the pots on the deck, in the absence of a table, came back and fetched a tin pan of what looked like very badly made irish stew. this he carried into the house, and then sat down on his sea-chest and looked blankly at his shipmates.
the two seniors said not a word, but producing tin plates and spoons, helped themselves to a goodly portion of “scouse” and a biscuit out of a grimy box (the biscuit looked, frank thought, like those he used to give the dog at home), and began to eat at a great rate and in hoggish fashion. the other new-comer looked on helplessly as if unable to grasp the meaning of things, and frank wondered if it was not some horrid dream from which he would presently awake. he was suddenly and rudely roused by the elder of the two seniors rapping him over the knuckles with his spoon and saying, “now then, mummy’s darlin’, wade in and get some supper; you’ll get no more till seven bells to-morrow, and besides, it’s bad cattin’ on an empty stumjack.”
for a moment frank found his tongue and replied, “i don’t know what you mean. is this our tea?”
what a superb joke. how the two did laugh and choke, and then when they found their breath again, the senior said scornfully, “looky here, my soft kiddy, the sooner you wake up the better for you. this is your tea, as you call it, and as bill and me are pretty sharp set, you and the other young nobleman had better produce your dinner[23] service and fall to, or i’m hanged if you’ll get any at all.”
at this point there was a diversion caused by the other new-comer, harry, bursting into hysterical tears. for a moment the two hardened ones suspended their eating and gazed open-mouthed at him, remembering perhaps their own experiences only a year ago, then with rude chaff and empty threats they resumed their interrupted supper. but it did frank good. he couldn’t comfort the weaker boy, but he set his teeth and determined that he wouldn’t be laughed at anyhow.
so he began to hunt up his mess traps, plate, pot, pannikin, knife, fork, and spoon, and at last he found them, but with all his will power aroused he couldn’t use them. he had no desire for food. so he just put them in his bunk and sat down again, wondering.
he had not sat thus for more than a minute when his comrade in misfortune became violently sick, for the ship was just beginning to curtsy to the incoming sea over the bar as she was tossed seaward head to the wind, and even had the weather been as fine as could be wished, the many strange smells and the beastly appearance of the food were enough to turn any delicate boy’s stomach. it did for frank at any rate, and almost immediately he too was vomiting in sympathy, utterly oblivious to the blows and abuse the two seniors showered upon them both with the utmost liberality.
with a last flicker of sense, but almost as much dead as alive, the two new-comers crawled into[24] their bunks among their unpacked belongings there, and lay wallowing in unconscious misery, intensified, if possible, by the fumes of strong tobacco from the pipes of their hardened shipmates, who sententiously observed that there was nothing like bacca to kill stink.
overdrawn, exaggerated, false, i hear people say. well, all i reply is, ask those who know. if only boys going to sea like this could have a little training first, much of this suffering might be avoided, but for those who come to it fresh from a good home ashore, it is much worse than i can express in print. however, i am not to moralise, only to tell frank brown’s story.
he cannot even now say what happened during the next twenty-four hours, only he sometimes wonders what the others were doing. somebody had to work, and he feels that the plight of the chaps forward in the forecastle was worse than his, for he at any rate was left in peace, such peace as it was. sea-sickness is horrible even in a beautifully appointed cabin with kindly attendants and all kinds of palliatives tendered gently, but in a foul den, on hard bunk boards, with nubbly portions of your outfit being ground into you at every roll of the ship, and the reek of strong tobacco and bilge-water, it is worse than horrible. and yet frank says that even through that awful time he still hoped that he was right in choosing a sea life, still felt that it would be all right by-and-by, and i believe him, except that i believe for much of the time he was enduring only and didn’t think at all.
[25]after what seemed an age of misery, frank awoke to find his mouth dry and horrid-tasting, his head aching as if it would split, and an all-gone feeling inside of him. and he was so terribly thirsty and cold and weak. but he was not done up entirely, not beyond making an effort, and so as soon as he had grasped the nature of his surroundings, realised a little where he was, he made that effort and managed to get out of his top bunk, falling in a heap upon the floor. he lay there for a few minutes and then struggled to his feet, holding on to anything he could clutch blindly, but with one overmastering desire for fresh air, and next to that drink.
he staggered to the door and stumbled out on deck, the keen briny breeze acting like a tonic upon his poisoned blood, and as he stood swaying there the healing of the sea came to him, the strong life-giving air revived him, and he felt better.
a voice in his ear said, “hello, marse newboy, you feelin’ more better. come along a galley an i give him a drink tea.”
it was the nigger cook, but to frank he was no longer disgusting, the last twenty-four hours had educated him beyond that, and he followed gratefully, guided by the strong grip on his arm of that black sinewy hand. arriving at the galley door, a pannikin of tea (it was tepid, sugarless, and weak) was handed to him, and as he drank he wondered if anything had ever been so refreshing. he made it last as long as he could, and then set the empty pannikin down on the coal-locker with a sigh, saying, “thank you, cook, that was good.”
[26]“you quoite welcome, sar,” said the cook with a flourish, and frank turned to go, but where he did not know.
the problem was solved for him at once, for the mate came along and, with a string of bad words, demanded what he meant by skulking like this when there was obviously nothing the matter with him. meekly frank began to answer that he was very sorry, he hadn’t been well, but the mate cut him short with, “get along and lend a hand clearing up decks. think you came to sea for pleasure, i s’pose, but i’ll show you different ’fore i’ve done with ye,” &c.
frank made no reply, but crawled about and did his best, and so began his sea work, as so many thousands like him have done before under exactly similar circumstances.
he had not been long at his task before one of the senior apprentices came up to him and said, “hello, mammy’s kid, what are you doing on deck in your watch below?”
for the life of him frank did not know what was meant, and he felt this entire ignorance of everything begin to annoy him again. but he only said civilly, “i don’t understand you.”
“don’t understand, don’t ye?” mimicking him; “well, although you haven’t done a thing but make a beastly mess in the house and sleep like a hog for twenty-four hours, you ain’t expected on deck till eight bells, so you can get below again.”
“can’t i stay on deck, then,” pleaded frank, “it does smell so in the room?”
[27]“yes it does, thanks to you and that other little beast. no, you can’t stay on deck in your watch below, but you can clean up the filthy mess you’ve been making in the house, and you shall, so get about it as quick’s the devil’ll let ye.”
of course theoretically frank should have rebelled, but he felt so low and helpless that he hadn’t a kick in him, and besides he did not know what power over him his young tormentor might have, so instead of firing up he meekly replied, “will you show me what i’m to do, and i’ll try and do it?”
“oh, i’ll show ye right enough,” answered the young tyrant, who led the way to the house from whence frank had so recently emerged.
but as soon as he stepped within, the foul, fetid atmosphere of the place revived his nausea, and he staggered out again on deck crying, “i can’t stand it, it makes me sick.”
and yet he had seen that the other two lads were asleep in it, the one from sheer exhaustion and the other because he had got used to it. he also saw that it was in such a condition that it could only be compared to a hogsty, and even in his then mental state he could not help wondering however he would grow used to sleeping in such a hole as that.
his tormentor was about to abuse him again, but the voice of the second mate, whose watch on deck it was, sounded, calling, “williams, where are you?” and williams answering, “aye, aye, sir,” sped away, leaving frank sitting on the main hatch gulping deep breaths of strong, pure air.
[28]now for the first time he really did repent of his decision. apart from his physical misery, which was great, he was utterly alone and helpless, and, although he felt willing to learn, he saw no prospect of anybody taking the trouble to teach him. and he could not help contrasting the ordered comfort and loving sheltering care of the home he had left with his present condition. it was as if the bottom had fallen out of his world.
and then as he sat there he lifted his eyes and saw the great white sails towering away in all the beauty of their swelling curves towards the blue sky above them, took in with a growing sense of charm the ordered web-like arrangement of the standing and running rigging, and felt even in that miserable hour a little compensation. indeed it might have been very much worse, a gale of wind to begin with would have added greatly to his sufferings, but the weather was quite fine and there was a nice leading wind down the channel, so that had there but been any one to show him what to do to make himself as comfortable as circumstances would permit, he was really getting a fair send-off.
it was in the month of september, and so although the time was the second dog-watch, between six and eight in the evening, it was still light, and as the ship rolled he was able to get a glimpse of the sea with its small waves and a few distant vessels dotted about like little boats, some with a smear of black smoke above them and others showing a glint of white. he began to feel more at ease except when he thought of the den into[29] which he would have to go presently for some additional clothes, for he was shivering with the cold.
but he sat on until he heard four double strokes on the bell, when williams swaggering up to him said, “now then, my boy, it’s your watch on deck,” and passing into the house lit a lamp and called johnson, the other senior apprentice.
still he sat there stupidly until johnson coming out said, “hello, young feller, haven’t you got any more clothes to put on than that? you going to keep watch to-night in only a dungaree suit?”
that roused him, and staggering to his feet he said earnestly, “won’t you tell me what i’ve got to do?”
johnson stared at him for a moment and then, his better feelings overcoming his first inclination to laugh, he replied, “all right, come aft with me to muster and then i’ll give you a few wrinkles.”
as he spoke, the crew, nine in number, came slouching aft, a very motley gang, and mustered about the after hatch, while the second mate from the poop called out their names, to which each one answered, “here.” then when all had responded the second mate said, “relieve the wheel and look-out, that’ll do the watch.”
the crew dispersed, and johnson, taking frank by the arm, said, “now come along and get your jacket; you won’t have time to change your pants, for you’ll have to take first watch on the poop with the mate.”
so frank made a bold plunge into the house[30] and succeeded in keeping down his nausea until he had extracted his jacket. then, at his mentor’s direction, he made his way up the lee poop-ladder and stood holding to the lee mizzen rigging, awaiting what should come next.
in a few minutes the mate, who was prowling about, espied him, and coming up to him said, “well, boy, you’ve made a start at last, i see.” “yes, sir,” answered frank. “all right,” went on the mate, “let’s have no more skulking. all you’ve got to do now is to keep your weather eye liftin’ and learn quick. for the present your duty is to carry my orders if necessary and to keep look-out for the time, the clock is in the companion aft there, an’ every half-hour you must strike that bell there, one bell for each half-hour up till four bells; one, two, three, four; and at four bells johnson will relieve you. then you can go down off the poop and have a caulk on the grating before the cabin, but mind, no going forward into the house and going to sleep there, or you’ll drop in for it.” and with this brief warning the mate resumed his prowl up and down the poop.
frank stood at his post trying to feel the importance of being on watch, and not succeeding at all well, afraid to move about and yet wondering why he should not, and hoping desperately that he would soon be able to understand a little of what was going on. as his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, he made out the dim figure at the wheel, upon whose weather-beaten face the light from the binnacle, or illuminated compass, fell[31] fitfully; he looked over the side and saw the glowing white foam on the parted waters, looked away from the ship and saw only blackness, for the sky had clouded over, and thought with amazement of the fact that they were sailing along in utter darkness, and yet nobody seemed to mind.
and then he thrilled to the roots of his hair as a hoarse voice sounded out of the gloom, “green light on the port bow, sir.”
“aye, aye,” gruffly responded the mate, as he strode forward to the break of the poop.
and presently frank held his breath to see a vast lumbering shape emerge from the gloom with one gleaming light on its side. on it came until it seemed as if it would overwhelm the sealark, and then, sheering just a little, passed at what seemed a terrific speed close alongside, so close indeed that the mate hurled a volley of abuse at the invisible beings on board the other vessel, and was answered in kind. it was a close shave and quite unnecessary. frank was dreadfully alarmed, he did not know why, and had no idea how near they had been to a terrible disaster.
but fate was kind to him, although he thought he had never known two hours be so long in all his life. he managed to acquit himself of his task of striking the bell all right, and nothing else occurred during the watch.
at four bells, he saw a man come aft and relieve the wheel, and waited patiently for johnson to come and relieve him. but johnson came not, and at last frank mustered up courage to go and ask the mate if he might go and call the other[32] boy. the mate grunted assent, and frank, groping his way down the ladder—his legs being cramped and stiff with the cold and standing still so long—succeeded in finding his relief stretched full length on the grating, snoring melodiously. it was a hard job to waken him, but at last he sat up and growled like a bear.
just then the mate’s voice roared, “johnson,” and all trace of sloth disappeared. he sprang up and rushed on the poop, where frank, with just a trace of satisfaction, heard him get a few sea-compliments and warnings of what would happen if he didn’t turn up smarter next time.
but frank had matters of his own to attend to, and with a sense of relief, such as he had never felt to his recollection in his beautiful bed at home, curled himself up like a dog upon his hard couch and passed almost immediately into deep sleep, although he had neither pillow nor covering, and was, moreover, both cold and hungry.
he was awakened almost immediately after, he thought, by a pretty hard kick, and heard johnson’s voice saying, “now then, it’s eight bells, muster the watch,” and, memory coming to his aid, he pulled himself together to take part in the same proceeding as before, the calling of names, &c.
and then realising that it was his watch below, and that he had four hours of uninterrupted sleep before him, he returned to his former corner on the grating and went fast asleep again directly. the thought of sleeping in the house made him feel quite bad, and he hastened to forget it in sleep. several times during the watch he had[33] dim ideas of voices and noises, but not enough to arouse him thoroughly.
the wind had changed, and the starboard, or second mate’s watch, had all their work to trim and shorten sail. but frank slept through it, although when he was aroused at eight bells—four in the morning—he was wet through, and shivering with the cold. and hungry! but that was a good sign, showing that he had quite got over his sea-sickness, and that in a very short time.
the ship was now moving about in lively fashion, and as he mounted the poop again he held on convulsively, feeling almost as if his legs were of no use to him. but he had now reached the stage of passive endurance, and although he was conscious of suffering cold, hunger, and weariness, he felt dimly that he could hang on and bear it, since others around him were faring no better.
the relief was nearer than he thought. at two bells—five o’clock—there was a cry from forrard of “coffee,” and the mate striding over to him said not unkindly, “go an’ get yer coffee, boy.”
he answered with chattering teeth, “thankye, sir,” and crawling down the ladder groped his way to the house, where he found johnson already seated with a steaming pannikin of some brown liquid in one hand and a biscuit in the other.
“there’s yours,” gruffly said johnson, indicating a pot hooked on to the side of a bunk; and frank gratefully seized it as well as a biscuit out of the box.
it was not like anything he had drunk before[34] which he could say was at all nice, but it was boiling hot and sweet, sending quite a glow through his shaking body. the biscuit was flinty, but frank’s teeth were good, and besides he was savagely hungry, so that he really found himself enjoying this impromptu meal, and quite forgot that he was sitting in the house which had been such a place of horror to him. for the wind having changed, there was a current of pure air blowing through it, and most of its foulness had been swept away. as far as frank was concerned, the worst of his probation was over.
by the time he had eaten his biscuit and finished his coffee he felt a different being, and when johnson said, “you’d better get aft, it’s nearly three bells,” he was ready, as he felt, to face anything. so he hurried aft to his place on the poop and ventured to walk about a bit in spite of the motion of the ship, the mate saying nothing to him until four bells.
then with a roar that startled frank greatly the mate ordered, “wash decks,” whereupon the watch came slouching aft with bare feet and trousers rolled up, carrying brooms and buckets, and frank, having now a good look at them for the first time, could not help feeling another pang of deep disappointment. were these the fine romantic fellows he had read of, these miserable-looking, curiously clad ragamuffins, more disreputable in appearance than any tramps he had ever seen, and speaking, when they did speak at all, in a language that he could not understand?
it was another added to the many problems[35] which he had to solve by himself, but the present was not a time for doing so, for he found that his mind was fully occupied by the duties of carrying water and maintaining his balance withal as the ship rolled and the wet decks seemed as slippery as glass.
but he felt glad of one thing, this business was, if very wearisome to a lad who had never worked before, easily learned, so although the buckets of water seemed to grow heavier and heavier, and the quantity of them used was enormous, he stuck to it, did his best, and felt that he was getting on. he did not like the surly grumbling way everybody spoke, for it seemed to him that his efforts might have been recognised, but he grew to regard even that as a part of the business he had to learn, and was consoled.
meanwhile the work went steadily forward, and the decks began to assume a neatness and cleanliness which appealed to frank, although he felt how hard a task it had been to make them so. seven bells struck and the other watch was called to breakfast, while he, with his fellow-apprentice johnson, busied themselves in tidying up the poop and cleaning the brasswork with oil and bath-brick, johnson giving himself more than professional airs because it was necessary for him to teach the novice the simplest thing.
there were not wanting signs, however, that johnson and frank would presently be very good friends, for johnson was only a year frank’s senior and had no one else to talk to, which, as he was a sociable lad at bottom, made him forget that superiority[36] so dear to a boy and speak every now and then as a comrade.
while they were thus busy the captain came on deck, looking even less prepossessing than he had done the day previous. his evil eye fell upon everything like a blight. he grumbled at the helmsman, and at the boys, muttered something unintelligible about the trim of the sails, and generally made himself appear as much like the enemy of mankind as possible. frank felt quite nervous at being near him, and when eight bells sounded and williams came to relieve them, the pair lost not an instant in getting off the poop out of their commander’s way.
but it was a sore trial for the new chum to enter that house and leave the pure sharp air outside, although he felt that he would much like a little shelter. still he was in some small measure hardened, and the filthy hole did not seem so terrible as it had done. only the sight of the other new apprentice, harry carter, made him feel a curious mixture of pity and disgust. i am not going to describe him as i have seen him and his like many times, sufficient to say that he had now been lying for two days in the midst of a heap of his belongings without the slightest attention being paid to him by anybody, except for a drink or two of water which johnson had given him. he looked almost as if he were dying, and did not seem to care.
the two other youngsters, whatever their feelings may have been, had other business on hand just now, the getting of their breakfast. frank took the two pots and fetched the curious coffee, waiting a[37] moment when he had received it for some sign that there was something else forthcoming. the cook, however, said sharply, “dat’s all. doan fink you gets scouse any more, do yer?”
frank retreated without a word, and on reaching the house found that johnson had been aft and procured about two ounces of butter from the steward wherewith to lubricate their biscuits, and with this and the coffee they made what breakfast they could.
having appeased their hunger somewhat, they made an attempt to help the sick boy for their own sakes. they dragged him out of his bunk and wiped him down roughly, although he implored them to let him alone; then they did their best to straighten up the extraordinary confusion of his bunk, unrolled his bedding and laid him on it. it was all they knew how to do, and anyhow their time was precious. frank made a clearance of his bunk too, and some sort of a bed for himself with a curious angry feeling that he ought not to have been allowed to be so ignorant of the commonest duties of life, and that anyhow some one ought to show him how here.
what to do with his many belongings he did not know, there were no lockers, no shelves, just a few nails driven into the bulkheads, and his chest, from having been tousled over in a wild hurried search for things, was so full that it wouldn’t shut. at last he said despairingly to johnson, “i wish i only knew where to put my things, there’s no drawers, no cupboards, and i never put anything away at home anyhow.”
[38]“oh, shove ’em anywhere,” said johnson testily, “don’t bother me. i’ve got trouble enough with my own dunnage. go and get a broom and sweep the wreck up into a corner, i’m going to turn in, i’m as tired as a dog.” and suiting the action to the word he flung himself into his bunk just as he was, without even troubling to take off his boots or change his damp clothes.
frank found a broom and drew together the accumulated rubbish and dirt on the deck, and then feeling ashamed to leave it there in spite of what johnson had said, scooped up a double handful of it, went outside and flung it over the nearest rail, which happened to be to windward, with the result that it all blew back on top of him, into his eyes and over the clean deck. a yell of execration went up from two of the men who were passing as the dirt blew over them, but beyond cursing him roundly, and suggesting that he had never yet been round cape horn, they did nothing to explain the why of his mistake.
he hastily retreated within his den, finding his watchmate already asleep. he felt the call of rest very strongly, but his cleanly instincts rebelled against the fact that for two days he had not had his clothes off, or even an apology for a wash. still he knew not where to get any water except salt, and that was a task he felt beyond his powers, there were no conveniences of any kind for washing, and he—well, like most boys who go unprepared to sea for the first time, he just did the easiest thing, got into his bunk, and in less than a minute was fast asleep.
